Posts Tagged With: Pink ribbon

It’s a sobering reality: breast cancer is something that has touched or will touch nearly all of us. According to the American Cancer Society, about 1 in 8 women in the US will develop breast cancer during their lifetime.

We’ve been personally affected by this at Berkshire Blanket and wanted to do whatever we could to help. It started with Bobbi:

“My name is Bobbi and I have worked for Berkshire Blanket for 11 years. In February of 2011 I was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. As many of you may know this kind of news changes your entire life, little did I know how much this disease would take over my life. Over the next year I went through months of chemotherapy, then surgery and finally radiation. In June of 2012 I was told I was a miracle patient and cancer free, you can just imagine how elated I was. Unfortunately, this was short lived–in December I awoke to a badly swollen arm. After much testing it was found I had developed a blood clot – the cancer had returned and so my journey is not over. During all this time I have been able to continue working at Berkshire with the support of all my co-workers, as well as the company. This has certainly helped to give me the strength to carry on, as I have learned no one can do it alone. I am so honored that Berkshire Blanket is now going to have a pink ribbon throw to show their continued support in my battle and to honor all who have fought this disease.”

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, we’ve designed a new Pink Ribbon Throw. Not only does this provide physical comfort and a show of support, it also does so much more–we’re donating all profits from the sale of this throw to support cancer research. The specially selected price of $28 commemorates the 28th anniversary of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Of course, while Bobbi was our initial inspiration in designing the Pink Ribbon Throw, she is far from alone in her struggle. We started sharing her story with our family and friends and were touched that others wanted to share their stories with us too.

Donna benefited from years of cancer research

From Donna: “When I was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, 9 years ago, at age 36, I did not know what “stage three” meant. My doctor told me that with stage three we will talk about your chances for survival; with stage four we discuss quantity and quality of life… I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in the last testing stage for Herceptin, which was a new chemotherapy drug. After a year of chemotherapies, surgeries and radiation, I looked back and realized how incredibly lucky I am to have received the benefit of years of cancer research. I know that with the combined effort of medical research and doctors, friends, community, and the loving support of my family, 9 years later I am still here thanking God for the joys of my life.”

Laurie (center) is the first in her family to become a breast cancer survivor

Laurie (center) was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 44 and is a survivor. She is surrounded by her sisters Susan and Linda. These women have lost their Mother, their sister Gail, and their aunt to breast cancer. Thanks to educational awareness, early detection and medical advances Laurie is the first woman in her family to become a survivor after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

We hope that our new throw will serve as a way to raise awareness, support patients and survivors, and provide comfort at a time that it can be hard to come by. We know that by donating all of the profits from these throws to cancer research, we’ll be able to make a positive impact for all of the Bobbis, Donnas, and Lauries out there.

If you’ve been affected by cancer and would like to share your story, we invite you to comment below. What was your experience? What brought you comfort?